The 14th Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche

On 11 June 2014 our beloved teacher, the 14th Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche Mipham Chokyi Lodro, passed away in his cherished environment of Renchen Ulm, Germany, in the presence of his close family members and some of his closest students. The sudden loss to the world in general, to Buddhism in particular, and especially to his students, is profound and far-reaching.

An emanation of Buddha Amithaba, The 14th Kunzig Shamar
Rinpoche is second to Gyalwa Karmapa in the spiritual hierarchy of the
Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism. The first Shamar Rinpoche, Khedrup
Trakpe Senge (1283-1349), was the principal disciple of the 3rd Karmapa,
Rangjung Dorje. His second incarnation, Kacho Wangpo, received the Red Crown
from the 4th Karmapa, Rolpe Dorje, an exact replica of his own Black Crown.
With the Red Crown, the Karmapa bestowed on him the name of "The Shamarpa - The
One with the Red Crown." Since then, Karma Kagyu texts speak of two Karmapas,
the black hat and red hat Karmapas, always alternating as teacher and student
throughout centuries.

The 14th Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche Mipam Chokyi Lodro was born in 1952 in
Derge, Tibet as the nephew of H.H. the 16th Karmapa. He was recognized as the
new Shamarpa incarnation at the age of six, and was taken to Yang Chen
Monastery, the main seat of the Shamarpas in Tibet. He left Tibet at the age of
9 together with H.H. the 16th Karmapa for Sikkim, India where he lived and
studied under Karmapa's guidance. Shamar Rinpoche has received the entire
teachings and transmissions of the Karma Kagyu School from H.H. the 16th
Karmapa at Rumtek monastery in Sikkim. After Karmapa's death, Shamar Rinpoche
undertook the project of completing the Karmapa International Buddhist
Institute (KIBI) in New Delhi, India. In March 1994, he officially recognized
Trinlay Thaye Dorje as the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa. Shamar Rinpoche spends most of
his time giving Dharma teachings around the world.